Teleoperation Alignment Interface for Surgical Robot Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In master-slave teleoperation systems, particularly with non-actuated or 'flying' master devices, achieving precise alignment between the master and slave devices is challenging, leading to potential misalignment and counterintuitive movements during surgical operations, necessitating a complex alignment phase that can be time-consuming and risky.
Innovation Solution
A control method that utilizes a graphical user interface with help-alignment graphic elements on a display to guide the operator in aligning the master and slave devices, reducing the need for slave device movement during alignment and minimizing misalignment by providing visual cues and intuitive alignment instructions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the slave device is enabled to move to align itself with the master device during the alignment phase, then the alignment between master and slave is improved, but the complexity of the alignment process increases and the time required for alignment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical alignment process (moving the slave device physically to align with the master) with a visual guidance system. The graphical user interface displays alignment indicators and instructions that guide the operator to achieve alignment without requiring complex automated movement mechanisms. This substitution of mechanical automation with visual information processing reduces system complexity while maintaining alignment precision.
2Measurement precision
If the slave device moves during the alignment phase to achieve alignment with the master device, then the alignment precision is improved, but the time required for the alignment process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment system provides self-service through the graphical user interface that automatically calculates and displays alignment status and required movements. The operator receives real-time visual feedback showing whether the master and slave devices are aligned and what adjustments are needed, enabling rapid self-correction without time-consuming manual trial and error or complex automated sequencing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback through the graphical user interface that displays alignment indicators, misalignment angles, and directional guidance. This real-time feedback allows the operator to make immediate corrections to achieve alignment quickly, reducing the time required compared to methods without such comprehensive visual feedback.
3Ease of operation
If visual alignment guidance is provided through a graphical user interface, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The graphical user interface acts as an intermediary between the complex alignment measurement systems and the operator. It translates complex sensor data, coordinate transformations, and alignment calculations into simple visual indicators and instructions that the operator can easily understand and act upon, improving ease of operation without exposing the operator to system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a visual copy or representation of the physical alignment state through graphical icons, indicators, and symbolic representations in the user interface. This graphical copy provides an intuitive visual model of the master-slave device relationship, making alignment operations easier without requiring the physical system itself to be simpler.
Data Source
AI summary
A control method usable in any robotic system for medical or surgical teleoperation having at least one master device, at least one slave device configured to be moved by an actuator and to be controlled by the master device, a central microprocessor unit configured to control the slave device and a display configured to visualize in its central portion a surgical site in which the slave device operates, comprises the operations of; determining with the central unit the spatial orientations of the master and slave devices; when the central unit receives an help-alignment request signal, generating a graphical user interface on the display comprising at least one help-alignment graphic element visually representing a relative spatial orientation of the master device with respect to the slave device; modifying at least one graphical aspect of the help-alignment graphic element in a manner corresponding to the relative spatial orientation of the master device with respect to the slave device.